Fratello’s Top 5 Dive Watches Of The First Half Of 2025 — Featuring Tudor, Doxa, Citizen, And More
It’s Friday, so it’s time for another list. Last week, we kicked off the series of lists looking back at the best releases of the first half of 2025. This week, it’s time for the second installment of the series. For this list, we picked our five favorite dive watches that were released between January and June.
Besides being the most popular genre, dive watches have also seen some interesting takes on the formula in recent years. Just think of 2024’s Singer Divetrack, a piece that reimagines what a dive watch can be. And what about the full-gold Rolex Deepsea, a bonkers full-gold take on a proper deep-sea dive watch, or Christopher Ward and seconde/seconde/’s whimsical C65 Desk Diver? Those are just a few examples of how to look at the category differently. Let’s find out whether we have seen more remarkable dive watches in the first half of this year.
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique (38mm)
You probably knew this was coming, but how can we not choose this new 38mm version of the Fifty Fathoms after we and so many other fans have long asked for a smaller version of Blancpain’s legendary diver? The brand has finally listened and now offers a more compact Fifty Fathoms in three metals — stainless steel, lightweight Grade 23 titanium, and 18K red gold.
The 38mm Blancpain Fifty Fathoms in steel
All versions feature a 38.2mm case with a 12mm thickness, a 43.8mm lug-to-lug, and a 300m depth rating. The steel and titanium models are available on rubber, nylon, or sail-canvas straps, but a matching metal three-row bracelet is also an option. It’s funny because we at Fratello tend to gravitate towards the Fifty Fathoms on a strap, but this new, smaller version looks great on a bracelet.
Inside the case, you will find the in-house automatic caliber 1150. The movement operates at 21,600vph and boasts an impressive 100 hours of power reserve. Additionally, it is beautifully finished with rifled soleillage and beautiful anglage. Additionally, the retro-styled rotor looks beautiful. It is crafted out of 18K gold and features a frosted gray NAC coating. It makes the caliber a joy to behold when the watch is not gracing your wrist.
The 38mm Blancpain Fifty Fathoms in titanium
But most of all, the new 38mm Fifty Fathoms is a joy to wear. Depending on the strap or bracelet, the stainless steel versions go for €16,600–19,350, while the titanium ones cost €17,800–21,000. After years of complaints and requests from enthusiasts, it’s great to see that Blancpain finally delivered smaller versions of the Fifty Fathoms.
Citizen Promaster Aqualand 40th Anniversary
Our next pick is much more affordable but has a similar fanatical legion of followers as the Fifty Fathoms. Only a few weeks ago, Citizen celebrated the 40th anniversary of its popular Promaster Aqualand with a new version. Nacho wrote the intro article for it and provided some background about the cult-classic Aqualand, highlighting the watch’s remarkable history. I recommend you read it because it gives a great overview that creates context for the release of the new two-tone model. The 40th-anniversary model has a 44mm case (50.7mm including the depth gauge and 38mm across the bezel) with a 47.7mm lug-to-lug and a 14.8mm profile.
The bezel, crown, and depth gauge, all treated with gold PVD, contrast with the gunmetal tone of the case. Additional gold accents come in the form of the hands and pushers. Adding to the richness of the overall aesthetic are the orange minute hand and the light green lume on the hour markers. Finally, rounding out this watch’s legendary watch’s look is a black 24mm biomass-based polyurethane strap. As this is a dive watch at heart, it has a certified ISO-compliant 200m depth rating.
The 40th-anniversary model is still a great dive watch at heart
Powering the watch is the Citizen caliber C520. The quartz movement keeps time with an accuracy of ±20 seconds per month and features a 1/100th-second chronograph (for timing up to 100 minutes of elapsed time), a day/date display, and a dive mode. As Nacho explained, if the dive mode is activated, the watch will display the current depth down to 80 meters. Additionally, a dive alarm will warn the wearer when ascending too rapidly.
Lastly, a dive log stores the last four dives on which the watch has been used. It displays the date, elapsed time, and maximum depth reached. This proves that the Promaster Aqualand is still a great diving tool that watch fans have enjoyed for many years. The new 40th-anniversary model is a great way of commemorating four decades of Citizen Promaster Aqualand, and it can be yours for €479.
Doxa Sub 250T GMT
Another no-brainer for us was the inclusion of the Doxa Sub 250T GMT on this list. The combination of a classic dive watch with the practicality of a travel watch is a welcome addition to the Doxa lineup. The best thing about the Sub 250T GMT is that it still offers all the characteristic features of the Doxa Sub series.
By only adding a GMT hand and a 24-hour rehaut, Doxa smoothly integrated the option to keep track of the time in another time zone. In great Doxa fashion, the brand introduced a series of nine colorful variations to choose from. That number is almost overwhelming without looking at the different options.
All the watches feature a 40mm stainless steel case with a 10.85mm thickness, a 42.90mm lug-to-lug, and a 250m water resistance rating. As Mike explained, the dimensions make the Sub 250T GMT fractionally bigger than the regular Sub 200T. Overall, though, these are still very wearable watches.
Doxa equips the Sub 250T GMT with an unspecified Swiss (likely Sellita) automatic caliber that operates at 28,800vph and offers 50 hours of power reserve. With an independently adjustable 24-hour hand, this is a series of caller-style GMTs. As we’ve come to expect, the brand also offers the watches on dial-matching rubber straps or a stainless steel beads-of-rice bracelet.
A well-executed GMT diver
Looking at the dials, as mentioned, Doxa integrated the 24-hour scale neatly on the rehaut. Because of this, it doesn’t interfere with the watch’s regular timekeeping and dive functions. While there is quite a bit going on, it never feels hard to find the right information.
Additionally, the oversized skeletonized GMT hand is a clever solution. It stands out but never demands more attention than necessary. It also adds character to a watch that already has a distinct presence. At €2,550 on a rubber strap or €2,590 on a bracelet, the new Doxa Sub 250T GMT series is a great addition to the brand’s catalog. It also makes for one of our favorite new dive watches 2025 so far.
Tudor Pelagos Ultra
Our next pick might lead to debate, especially after the Tudor Pelagos Ultra lost to the regular Pelagos in one of our installments of Sunday Morning Showdown. But if you ask us, the Pelagos Ultra is a genuine step up from the classic Pelagos. This new, more extreme version is only slightly bigger but offers impressive specs. On top of that, the case and dial design are more modern and, if you ask me, just better.
The Pelagos Ultra has a 43mm titanium case with a 14.5mm thickness and a 52mm lug-to-lug. While the numbers indicate that it’s a large watch, it’s only a 1mm jump in diameter and a 0.2mm increase in thickness over the regular Pelagos. Mind you, the watch has an impressive 1,000m depth rating, which is double that of the 42mm Pelagos.
The Pelagos Ultra would be our pick over the standard Pelagos
Lastly and maybe most importantly, the new case wears no bigger than the regular Pelagos. It’s a well-engineered case that is substantial but an absolute joy to wear. Thanks to the titanium bracelet with the great signature spring-loaded adjustable clasp, it is super comfortable. The clasp now comes with a light blue luminous indicator for the level of adjustment and a more minimalist look. The light blue dot matches the color of the word “Pelagos” on the dial. Although it is a small detail, I quite like that shade of blue.
The blue “Pelagos” wording is part of a completely redesigned dial. As you can see, the minute track is located on a raised, flat ring on the perimeter. The applied luminous markers in the famous Pelagos style now sit within the lower portion of the dial rather than cutting into the outer ring. Hovering above the dial are the instantly recognizable hands that add more character to any Tudor watch. A fun but very functional aspect is the use of two lume colors. Green lume fills the minute hand and the bezel’s lume pip, which helps to keep track of the elapsed time during dives. All the other markers and indexes use blue lume for the timekeeping functions.
Inside the case, Tudor equips the Pelagos Ultra with its caliber MT5612-U. The updated caliber is now certified by METAS as a Master Chronometer and offers 65 hours of power reserve. Considering all these updates, the €6,030 Pelagos Ultra is a great new addition to the Pelagos line that we would pick over the regular version.
Serica 5303 PLD
The last of our top five dive watches of the first half of 2025 is the great Serica 5303 PLD, which the French brand created for the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) divers of the French Navy. This gives the stylish, retro-styled dive watch instant credibility, which only adds to its already charming presence. As Thomas explained, the main feature of great importance to the EOD divers is a watch’s resistance to magnetism. The slightest magnetic disturbance could set off explosives, and that’s why any battery-powered watches are a no-go for the divers.
That led to the request landing on Serica’s desk to create a special version of its 5303 dive watch. If you look quickly, the color change might be the one thing that immediately catches your eye. But there is more to the story despite a lot of similarities to the regular model.
A great-looking version of the Serica 5303
Like the normal 5303 models, the 5303 PLD has a 39mm stainless steel case with a 12.2mm thickness, a 46.5mm lug-to-lug, and a 300m water resistance rating. The bezel features a dark blue ceramic insert, and the usual minute and hour scales make way for a “maximum dive time” scale. This allows the EOD divers to keep track of the maximum allowed operation time for a range of depths. The scales are easily distinguishable, as we know from the 5303. The numerals for the scale on the blue part are engraved and executed in white.
Additionally, the numerals on the inner part of the aluminum bezel are engraved and executed in black. It creates a retro-style bezel that harks back to the first-generation Omega Seamaster 300. It has also become a design staple for Serica 5303, adding much character.
Serica’s standard mesh bracelet finishes the look in style. Additionally, it is super comfortable. As an extra, Serica provides an elastic PLD strap in green with a yellow pinstripe. It’s a surprising combination with the dial and bezel color, but it works very well and gives the watch an attractive look.
Inside the case, the French brand uses the COSC-certified Soprod M100. The automatic caliber operates at 28,800vph and offers 42 hours of power reserve. It’s the go-to caliber for the Serica 5303, which has become a much-praised dive watch among enthusiasts. This special 5303 PLD version is available for €1,690 and will only garner more praise for the series. It also makes for the perfect fifth and last pick for this list.
Final thoughts on the best dive watches of the first half of 2025
There you have it — our five picks for the best dive watches that came out in the first half of 2025. Of course, these only cover a small fraction of the total number of dive watches released in 2025, and many more great picks could have qualified for this list. That is why I would love to ask you a question: what are your favorite dive watches that came out over the last six months? Let us know in the comments section, and we will be back with another Top 5 list next week.
